Condenser apparatus



Jan. 30, 1945. F. A. MEYER CONDENSER APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1943INVENTOR Faauu A. MEYER.

WITNESSES:

Q/ l 0 5 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1945 Frank A. Meyer, Brookline, Pa.,assignor toWestinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, EastPittsburgh, Pa.,- a corporation of Penn-v sylvania Application November26, 1943 ,'Serial No. 51 1 799 4 Claims. =(Cl. 25743)"- This inventionrelates to heat exchangers, more particularly to heat exchangersembodying a tube nest having a central untubed space for flow of .airand noncondensable gases, and has for an object to provide means formingapassage extending radially through the nest from the periphery thereofto the central untubed space, without omitting any of the tubes of thenest.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a heat exchangerhaving a tube nest including a centra1 untubed space, means providing aradially-extending passage from the periphery of the tube nest to thecentral untubed space thereof without breaking the tube nest periphery.

A further object of the invention is to provide,

in a condenser of the radial-flow type, means pro- 'viding a ventpassage from a deaerating hotwell associating with the condenser tothe'central an oiftake passage, without breaking the tube nest.

These and other objects are effected by the invention as will beapparent from the following description and claims taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, forming a part ofthis application, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View through v a condenser of theradial-flow type embodying the principles of the present invention;

respectively, to provide for, uninterrupted flow of air andnoncondensable gases to the cold or inlet end of the tubes for dischargethrough the air offtake 21. A'deaeratinghotwell 3U issecured to'theoutside of the shell llin position to receive condensate dischargedthroughthe conden'.

sate outlet opening I3, this hotwell being of con ventional constructionand forming, in itself, no part of the present invention, the latterbeing concerned with the means, now to be described, forv venting thehotwell to the central untubed space 24 of the tube nest.

An elongated channel-shaped member 33 has its longitudinal edges securedto the intermediate tube sheet l8 by suitable means, such as the welddeposits 34 and 35 (Fig. 4). The upper end of the passage 36, defined bythe channel member 33 and the associated surface of the intermediatetube sheet I8, has its upper end 31 opening to the central untubed space24 and its lower end 38 in communication with the interior of thehotwell through suitable conduit means 39. ously, in installations orconstructions where an intermediate tube sheet overlies the hotwell, the

conduit 39 may be dispensed with and an opening provided through theshell for communication of the hotwell interior with the lower end ofthe Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1,looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional View taken along the lineIIIIII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal, sectional view taken along the line IVIV of Fig.3, lookinginthe direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring nowto the drawing more in detail, there is shown, at 10, acondenser of the radialfiow type and comprising, a shell H, having anexhaust steam inlet I2 at the top thereof and a condensate outlet I3 atthe bottom thereof. A

circumferentially-unbroken nest of tubes l4 extends longitudinallywithin the shell, the terminal portions of the tubes being supported bytube plates l5 and H5 at the ends of the shell, and the tubes beingsupported intermediate their ends by a plurality of intermediate tubesheets I8 and I9. Waterbox structures 20 and 2| are associated with thetube plates l5 and I6, respectively, and provide for flow of waterthrough the tubes.

The tubes. H} are so arranged as to provide a central untubed portion 24extending longitudi nally of the tube nest, the intermediate tubepassage 36.

Preferably,-the channel-shaped member 33 is welded or otherwise securedto the surface of the intermediate tube sheet l8 after drilling of the.

tube-receiving openings in the latter. The channel-shaped member 33 isof suflicient rigidity to permit of drilling of tube-receiving openingsthrough the channel structure as well as the tube sheet to which it issecured so that thetubes may pass directly through the side walls o fthechannel member 33 when the tube location happens to coincide therewith,as shown in Fig. 3.

The primary purpose and advantage of the invention herein disclosed liesin the fact that it is unnecessary to omit any of the tubes of the tubenest, as has heretofore been necessary when providing a passageextending radially of the tube nest. In other words, with priorpractice, it would be necessary to omit all of the tubes enclosed withinor intersecting the side Walls of the channel member 33, a shown in Fig.3.

While theinvention has been shown in but one f form, it will be obviousto those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but issusceptible of various changes and modifications Without de sheets 18and I!) being perforated at 25 and 26, 56-,

parting from the spirit thereof, and it is desired,

therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as arespecifically set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. In heat exchange apparatus, a shell having asteam inlet at the top and a condensate outlet at the bottom; tubeplates closing the ends of the shell; a nest of tubes extendinglongitudinally of the shell iwith their terminal portions carried by thetubemplates; said-tubes being arranged to provide a central untubedspace for longitudinal flow of air and noncondensable gases to an airofitake; waterbox structure associated with the tube plates andproviding for circulation of Water through the tubes; one ormorestubesheets supporting the tubes intermediateztheiriend'sq:a hotwelladapted to receive condensate from the con- 1 densate outlet; and meansfor venting said hotwell to the central untubedspace, said meanscomprising a channel-like member having its longitudinal edges joined toone surfaceoi am some of the tubes of the nest pass through the ventpassage.

3. Structure as specified in claim 1, wherein the normal tube layout isuninterrupted in the vicinity of the vent passage, with some of thetubes passing through said passage.

4. In a condenser, a shell having an exhaust steamtinlet and-acondensate :-out1et; tube plates,

closingthe ends of the shell; a .circumferentiallyunbroken nest of tubesextending longitudinally of the shell with their terminal portionscarried by the tube plates; said tubes being arranged to provide acentral untubed space for longitudinal flow of air and .noncondensablegases to an air oiftake; a tube sheet supporting the tubes intermediatetheirFends; a deaerating hotwell adapted to receive condensate from thecondensate outlet; and ,meansforventing the hotwell to thecentral'untubed space, said means comprising an elongated member oftrough-like cross-section having its longitudinal edges secured to onesurface of the intermediate tube sheet; said member and tube-sheetdefining aradial'passageopen at its inner end to the centraluntu=bedspace, and

means providing communication between the hot-- well andthe outer end ofthe radial passage.

FRANK A. LEEYER.

